Mommy's Memories

Moments to Remember

Aden is my most favorite gift. God has blessed me in so many ways, but none of my blessings are so great as the gift of Motherhood. I have never felt more love, more pride, or more worry for anything or anyone in my entire life. It's an incredible thing, to experience carrying a baby as he grows inside my belly, and giving birth to him (even 12 days late!). And then to hold him for the first time and to give him his first kisses and hugs as we make sure he is happy and safe in his big new world. I'm so proud to be able to say that I am Aden's Mommy.

A friend of ours gifted us a set of mini Navy uniforms for Aden. They match Harold's uniforms right down to the little anchor on the chest. I dressed him in one of them for the first time and I couldn't help but get teary. He and his Daddy are so alike and seeing him in that uniform made me think of sending Harold off for his first deployment. My heart hurts every time the thought crosses my mind...but especially when I held Aden in that uniform.

I know we can handle it, though. God never gives us more than we can handle...even when it feels as though that isn't true, I have to believe that it is. Otherwise I'd be an emotional wreck!!

Aden & Mommy :)

I feel for the girl who falls in love with this boy someday. I just don't think I could ever share!

Our Happy Boy

Aden is full of stories!! He is talk-talk-talking ALL DAY LONG! He talks while he is eating...sleeping...staring...playing...and especially while he's getting his diaper changed. He loves to throw his hands up over his head and let out a big grunt which always sounds like he's saying "Whoooooa!" He also does this when he thinks he is going to sneeze but then it just doesn't happen. He is such a goofball! It's so fun to see his personality beginning to develop. He is quite the entertainer!

Aden making his "whoa" sound. He thinks it's hilarious :)

He definitely loves the spotlight! He is not shy when it comes to the camera. Whenever I pull it out and he sees it a giant grin comes over his face. I like to remind him to smile for the camera, but he rarely needs the nudge.

Aden is just all smiles! :) He is the happiest little boy we've ever seen. We just love having him in our life!

Valentine's Day!

Forever & Always

I was surprised today, when I returned home from grocery shopping with my favorite boy, to find a box from ProFlowers.com sitting on our doorstep. :D YAY!! FLOWERS!! Our 2nd Valentine's day together as a married couple and this year definitely beats last year. Harold is the love of my life and I appreciate everything he does for me and Aden...but last Valentine's Day...well...let's just say Harold thought it was in May...

So we ended up hitting the 50% off sales the following day to make up for our first Valentine's Day...haha. But it was fun anyway and we still got to enjoy lots of chocolates and a teddy bear. :)

Who needs a holiday to love on your spouse, anyway? We don't! But it's nice to know that I was on his mind this February 14th. And now I have a great centerpiece!! Gorgeous tulips and a box of chocolates go a long way to brighten up this dreary February in New York...

Which reminds me...We still haven't received our orders yet!! Ugh!! But hopefully soon. They told us we would know by today...but alas...no orders. Oh well, we will be celebrating today anyway because today Aden turns 2 months old!!

2 Months Old Today!!

I am so in love with Aden's sweet smiles and his adorable laugh! I could listen to him laugh all day long! And who couldn't look at this smiling little boy and not get a huge smile themselves?? I certainly can't! He is the greatest Valentine's Day gift ever!!

Aden and I spend all day together, and even though I love every moment I get to share with him, my favorites have to be right around bed time when his eyes get droopy and all he wants to do is snuggle up under my chin and drift off to sleep. I love my little boy!!

Aden's Play Gym

Here's a video of Aden in his play gym. :)

All About Aden

This past week, we brought home a play gym for Aden. He is 7 weeks old now and has officially decided he is bored with the life of a newborn. He no longer likes to be cradled in our arms, he only wants to sit up so he can see over our shoulders. He doesn't like it when we hold his bottle, he wants to do it himself. (He can't quite do this yet...but he certainly likes to think he can) He also has gotten over his swing. It is too slow and the mobile isn't entertaining enough. So, of course, we simply had to find some more entertaining options for our growing boy!

I went out with some friends and, after an hour or so of shopping, finally picked the right one for him...including a spinning mobile, 20+ minutes of music, 15 different toy attachments and a bright and colorful light show. For now Aden is perfectly content to stare at the spinning mobile, and occasionally the lights. He loves the hippo that dangles in the center of the mobile and laughs at it ever time I turn it on. The look on his face says it all, "Mom, you are the best!" (At least in my mind, that's what he's saying)

He loved the play gym SO much that after about 20 minutes or so of kicking and waving his arms and smiling, cooing and laughing...he crashed. He was out like a light and it was pure heaven for me. Nap time!!

Aden napping in his play gym. :)

Boo-Bear

The same day that I bought the play gym, I took an opportunity to venture into Jo-Ann's Fabric store. It wasn't a planned trip, but the biggest one in the area happened to be only a few stores down from the baby store I purchased the gym at. So of course I had to take a few minutes and stroll through the lovely land of everything nice. If I could live there, I totally would. As long as Michael's was my next door neighbor. Anyway, I had seen a little bear blankie toy thing that I thought was so cute...and apparently it's the thing to have in the infant world. But it retailed for nearly $25!! I couldn't imagine spending that much on such a tiny thing that could easily be made...so I decided to check out the possibility of making my own version of the bear blankie.

So I priced the materials and came home with less than $5 spent...and now Aden can be one of the cool kids with his very own bear blankie which has been affectionately named, Boo-Bear.

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His face is a little long...but I am very proud to say that I free-handed this little fellow. Let's hope he withstands the teething stage... :)

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Aden's little blankie I made also. $5 for two blankies definitely beats $25 for one...

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Success!!
He loves his Boo-Bear!! :)

A New York Winter...

It's been a good day, getting the blog caught up on all the amazing things that have gone on in our lives over the past year. It seems that since the moment Harold signed his contract with Uncle Sam, life has been moving so fast...one thing after the next we have been changing, moving, growing and finding our place in this fast paced world. If anything, the Navy has been a blessing. Some days it's hard to think of it that way...like when Harold is working mid shifts from 7 pm-7am for 7 days in a row or when those 12 hour days turn into 14 hour days and dinner goes uneaten. It's life...and we've discovered that for every 'bad' thing there is something so good. Together we've decided that at the end of the day we would much rather focus on the good and let the bad teach us how to make life even better...or maybe help us to realize just how good the good stuff is.

Our 2 year anniversary is coming up. It's amazing to me how much our lives have changed in such a short amount of time. When I think about the wedding, 2 years seems like a lifetime. It feels like it was so long ago. Since then we moved to South Carolina, Harold graduated from the toughest academic training program in the military, we moved to New York, I gave birth to our son Aden, and now we are waiting on our new orders so that we can plan our next big adventure. We have an incredible journey ahead of us...one that has had the greatest beginning. I can't even imagine what God has in store for us down the road.

For now, we are in Saratoga Springs, New York hiding away in our apartment...not because we are loners or because we are indoorsy people...but because the world around us is buried underneath nearly FOUR FEET OF SNOW!!! Yes...we love snow. We love winter. But right now I'm just about done with winter...and every last flake of snow. Aden and I have spent many weeks cooped up in our 2 bedroom apartment, watching the snow fall again and again while Harold switches from shift to shift working so hard and doing so well in his final stretch of school. And now I'd like to be able to get out and enjoy the outdoors! Thankfully we should be receiving new orders around Valentine's Day and Harold will be graduating March 4th!! Which means we will be coming home!! My favorite thing about being away is just how much I've learned to cherish my time with friends and family.

Which reminds me...before I end this...for my best friend Molly: I love you and I miss you and I'm so proud to be your friend. Your mission to China is already an amazing testament of your courage and faithfulness. You are truly gifted and I know God has great things waiting for you there. I can't wait to see all the photos and to see how your life is changed by this experience!! :D ...and I'm really excited for the souvenirs!! ;)

I have a lot more to update and get caught up on...but it's so much that I just can't do it all in one day! Until next time...

Aden Lee Phythian

Aden Lee Phythian

December 14, 2010
9:50 PM
8 lbs. 13.4 oz.
22 inches long

Our first look at our sweet baby boy.

Daddy and his son.

My boys :)

The newest love of our lives

The last day in the hospital :)

Aden in his going home outfit

Thank Heaven for Little Boys

...and the TWO became THREE...

Very slowly our lives were changed with the arrival of our son!! Here are the photos of my pregnancy all the way up to 1 day overdue...yep...he was overdue...by 12 days!! But after the first day, I didn't feel much like taking pictures anymore...

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We're pregnant!! We found out at 5 weeks along.
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17 weeks along, one week before we found out we're having a BOY!!
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21 weeks along
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25 weeks along
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26 weeks along
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27 weeks along
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28 weeks along
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30 weeks along
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32 weeks along
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36 weeks along
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38 weeks along
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40 weeks & 1 day...


...continued in next post...

Summer 2010

Power School Graduation

It was a long haul and a lot of work, but the Graduation day finally came!! Harold looked so handsome in his uniform and even though there was a small storm scare, it ended up being a warm and beautiful day in July.























Moving Day!!

Harold received his orders!! Our family was assigned to Saratoga Springs, New York. So, my parents flew in with my brother to help us pack the house up because I was 5 months pregnant at the time. We actually found out that we were having a Baby Boy only a couple days before we left Goose Creek. So much happened in such a short amount of time. We took advantage of the long drive from South Carolina to New York and made some stops along the way. We got to spend a couple days in Washington D.C. and had a great time visiting the Smithsonian and riding a trolley to see all the sights. Then we said goodbye to Mom, Dad & Evan and went on our way to New York with Harley and Daisy...and no Hobbs. :( Unfortunately Hobbs ran away and didn't show up for moving day. So we had to say goodbye to our goofy orange cat. :(

Goodbye, Hobbs.
Photos from the trip will hopefully be up someday...remind me sometime. For now, I can't find them!

Do-Over? Yes please.

So I realized that I'm really bad at keeping up with blogs. I was good for awhile...only missing a few days or weeks...but it seems that once summer hit and life got busy, blogging was the last thing on my mind. I'm a little bummed, actually...I really like re-reading the posts. This blog is my best attempt at a family journal and I am really going to try and keep it up!! So, in order to keep it up, I've gotta get caught up! This is going to be one whirlwind of a catch up...

April 2010

Our 1 Year Anniversary!!

April 4 - I woke up to a folded piece of construction paper and a red rose laying on Harold's pillow with a note inside that said everything I love to hear...it was the best way to wake up! :) Seeing as we were very poor newlyweds, I thought that it was the end of my anniversary surprise. But then I went to the door, and on the floor was a little Easter Basket! Our anniversary happened to fall on Easter this year...

I picked it up and just then Harold came down the hallway and told me he had set up an egg hunt for me through the house. I spent the morning searching for eggs, filled with my favorite candies! It was the sweetest thing, and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. :)

My Anniversary Surprise :)

May 2010

Summer Begins!!

Harley & Daisy started to feel the presence of our shifted attention to the Baby, so we decided to give them a special treat...a pool! In the South Carolina heat, the water is sometimes the greatest escape. So we decided to give them their own personal escape from that southern sun. They loved it! Along with their absolutely favorite toy, the hose! It was a great start to summer :)

















Charleston Riverdogs Game

While in Charleston we wanted to do whatever we could to enjoy the little bit of free time the Navy allowed. So we took advantage of some free tickets to see the Charleston Riverdogs play. It was a fun night! We got to try out their famous hotdogs that we had seen on The Food Network.
Afterward,
they had a fun fireworks show in honor of the Military members present at the game.
Even Harold enjoyed himself, and he isn't that big of a baseball fan. :)

















Days at the Park

Just down the street from our house on the base is a park that the dogs and I visited almost every day. I walked to the same spot each time, to a bench right below a giant acorn tree. It was my favorite tree, mainly because it did an excellent job of shielding me from the sun. Most days we would spend an entire afternoon there, unless the weather was absolutely unbearable. (which some days it was!!) The southern humidity is really intense...thank God for acorn trees!!